


Cherry Vanilla

by matteries



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura and Lance, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Bakery, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Succubi & Incubi, Angels, Angels and Demons, Dark, Demon Hunters, Demons, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Ft. the following background ships, Hunk and Lance, Incubus Keith, Keith Lance and Lotor, M/M, Modern AU, NSFW, SHEITH - Freeform, Shiro owns a bakery and Keith is a demon, Slow Burn, Smut, Succubi & Incubi, add allura and lotor, and zarkon and shiro, keith and lotor, sendak and shiro, this is a mess, update on bg ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 02:37:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12355725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matteries/pseuds/matteries
Summary: Burning hot desires. Sweet delicious scents. Can demons truly feel complex emotions or is it all lust and anger? Keith is a half-demon, half-human trying to survive alongside his roommate, Lance, avoiding demon hunters, the wrath of God, and angry landlords. Keith has been fighting his demonic side for his whole life, trying to be as human as he can. But as he gets closer and closer to a quarter of a century, fighting his urges becomes increasingly harder. The pain is almost unbearable. It doesn't help that an incredibly attractive baker named Shiro happens to help Keith out during one of his lowest moments. Keith isn't sure he'll be able to fight off these urges anymore.





	Cherry Vanilla

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys its ya boi idol posting his first public sheith fic. ive been planning this fic for months now and it seems fitting to release chapter one on the day of season 4's release!!!

             Gnawing, insatiable hunger pain. The strong desire to consume and consume  _everything_  in his path. His vision was blurred as he stumbled along the sidewalk. Everything was just colors and shapes. Noises filled his head, sharp and piercing. The car honks from blocks away sounded as if they were happening right in his ear. The mixture of smells in the air, both pleasant and unpleasant, swirled in his mind, worsening his headache. He clutched at his hair, pulling harshly at it.  

             People walked past him as he stood in the middle of the sidewalk, trying to recollect himself. Shoulders bumped shoulders and a few people made a few grunts at him as they walked by. It was Hell. With each passing person he could smell their distinct scents. Cigarettes and liquor. Lilacs and oranges. Desperation. Fear. Failure. Regret. Happiness. Everyone had their own unique scent and he could smell each and every one of them. 

             A feeling of nausea rose from the pit of his stomach. Would he collapse here? Right on the crowded sidewalk? He was unsure how he even ended up in this part of town. The last few days were incredibly blurry for him. He just kept  _walking_. There was no destination in mind, but he just kept going. 

             He wouldn't last much longer like this. The smells, the noise, the  _hunger_. What was around? What could he hide in, if only for a few moments? He patted his pockets, unable to feel his wallet. Fantastic. Perhaps he should have thought about that before just leaving his home. A small groan passed his lips. He stumbled forward, pressing his shoulder into a brick building. At least he was out of traffic. He sniffled a little, his eyes half lidded. 

             What was that? That delicious aroma? It was stronger than any of the other scents that surrounded him. It was sweet, but not too sweet. There was a hint of vanilla and— _cherries._ The vanilla and cherries were overwhelming to him, but nowhere near in a bad way. His eyes snapped open as he felt this pull deep inside of him. Every part of him was screaming to follow the smell, find its source. It told him that there was where he would receive the help, the chance to  _feed_ , he so desperately craved. 

             His feet were moving on their own. His mouth was already salivating. He kept his chin tilted slightly up towards the air. All he could smell now was the sweetness. The sounds that were hammering in his head seemed to disappear as well. All he could concentrate on was the aroma he was convinced would lead him to safety. 

             Eyes were wide now, completely on alert. He burst out into a run despite how weak his body was. Follow the scent, follow the scent, follow the scent. That's all that ran through his mind. It willed his legs to run, to push past his current limits. He was getting closer. The smell was stronger and he could smell new things within it. Chocolate, fresh bread, and lots and lots of sugar. It was as if someone had placed desserts in front of a fan and turned it on high.  

             His head whipped around, looking between different buildings surrounding him. Reality seemed to be warping around him. Things went from being in focus and clear as day to just scribbles of lines and colors. He was really pushing himself this time. 

             There. The brick building that was painted black. A small sign in the shape of a grey cartoon planet with purple rings hung out in front of it. There were words printed on it, but they were too blurry for him to understand. But there—that dark building was where the scent was coming from. His stomach rumbled lowly. He gripped at the loose shirt that hung from him, wishing the pain to stop.  

             The painted brick part of the building was just the store front. Standing up and above it was a lightly painted house with a deep purple trim. The store front had large, open windows. He took a quick peek inside. There was a small table with matching chairs situated right in front of him. Beyond that was an entire  _bakery_. The origin of the amazing smells, what he assumed at least. Giant glass cases filled with cookies and cupcakes and rolls. It explained so much. It was  _food._ He stumbled over to the dark purple door. A swinging ' _open'_  sign hung in its glass. He eagerly opened the door, a little bell chiming above him. 

             "Hi! Welcome to Outta This World Cakes! What can I help you with today?" called a deep voice from behind the counter. He took two steps inside the building, his head looking all around. He gripped at the metal chair to the left of him, his arm wiggling, his body too weak to support himself any longer. Before he could even say anything, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and everything went  _dark._  

* * *

 

             "Shit, shit,  _shit_. I do  _not_  need a lawsuit on my hands. Oh god, is he okay?" Shiro said, hoping over the counter with ease. He ran over to the customer that had collapsed at his front door, continuing to mutter curses under his breath. This was the exact opposite of what he needed today. He scooped the guy into his arms and his nose wrinkled in disgust. He  _reeked_  and his long, dark haired was greasy and he was sure there was a stick in it. What happened to this guy? 

             Shiro carried him, bridal style, over to the little window seat in his opposite window. He set him down very gently and arranged pillows to keep him comfortable. Now, what should he do? Was he supposed to call the police? Check for any kind of ID on the guy? Shiro wasn't at all comfortable patting a guy—a  _stranger_  down for his wallet. Instead, the man opted for pacing back and forth anxiously while he tried to think of a game plan. 

             "Urgh—," came from the smaller man. Shiro froze up, rotating on his heels to face the semi-conscious man. The other guy slowly started to sit up, clutching his head in one hand. Oh God, did he hit his head when he fell? Shiro wasn't really paying attention. He was finishing up filling out an order for a customer, not even looking at him when he came in. But now he was able to fully look him over.  

             His baggy grey shirt was stained with only God knows what, with a rip on the left side. His black, skin tight jeans were covered in dirt, much like the rest of him. He had dark, large circles under his eyes and his complexion was a ghostly white. He looked weak, like he hadn't slept or eaten properly in days. This guy was a mess and probably homeless. So calling the police probably wouldn't do anything for him if he was homeless. 

             Shiro knelt beside him, watching the greasy haired man curiously. He didn't want to scare him. Clearly, he had been through a lot and having a stranger immediately start asking questions would definitely not help him. He watched him rub at his eyes slowly. Well, he'd have to say something soon. 

             "Are you okay?" Shiro asked. This seemed to startle the other guy. He nearly leapt out of his skin as he turned to look at Shiro. His eyes were a dark blue-grey and despite his disheveled appearance, looked full of life. His eyes scanned Shiro, fear plastered on his face. Shiro stood up and backed away from him, holding his hands up to show that he meant no harm. 

             "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you. Are... you hurt?" Shiro said, his voice soft and tender. His gentle tone seemed to calm the other as his tensed expression loosened up. There was a cut across the man's cheek, but it wasn't fresh, but it did look irritated. Shiro really should call the police or  _something_. This man was clearly unwell. 

             "N-No. I'm just— _hungry_ ," said the man. As if it was on cue, his stomach rumbled loudly, seeming to echo off the walls of Shiro's shop. 

             "Hungry, huh? Well, you collapsed in the right place. Let me get you water and something to eat. The, freshest things I have right now are sweets. But it'll be better than nothing, right?" Shiro said, giving him a small, reassuring smile. He walked backwards slowly, eyes locked with him. Until his back connected with the counter he stayed watching him. Shiro lifted the middle part of the counter to run back towards the kitchen. Hopefully the other guy wouldn't bolt out of there before he could help him.  

             He looked so ragged and weak, Shiro just  _had_  to make sure he was okay. He wanted to help him to the best of his ability. It was in his nature, to help, to care for. In the kitchen, he grabbed a water bottle from the cooler and looked around for something to give to him. A single cupcake sat on his work station, his signature cupcake to be exact. Shiro scooped it up quickly and turned back for the front of the store. He was pretty sure it was his employee's who grabbed it before leaving to get coffee. 

             Thankfully, the man was still sitting at the window. Shiro walked over to him, food and drink in his hands. The smaller man was toying with his stained shoelace of a ripped up and ruined red Converse sneaker. His head snapped up as Shiro approached him. 

             "Here, this should help. Some water and my signature cherry vanilla cupcake!" Shiro grinned, holding the two out for him. The cupcake was a small cupcake with cherry printed paper, a light pink perfectly applied frosting and a cherry on top. It was mostly vanilla with a hint of cherry and his secret ingredient: cherry Coca Cola. It was a crowd favorite of his and he knew it brought smiles to most. Plus, it just _happened_ to be right there while he was getting the water. 

             "Uh, thanks," said the other. He took the water bottle from Shiro. With near impossible speeds, uncapped the bottle, tossed the cap and downed nearly the entire thing of water. Shiro watched his Adam's apple bob up and down as he loudly gulped the water down. His chest moved up and down heavily as well. It looked like he really needed the water. With a dramatic sigh, he set the water bottle on the floor and stared at the cupcake. Shiro raised an eyebrow as he moved his hand closer to him. The guy looked between Shiro and the cupcake a few times before snatching it up and quickly devouring it. Little crumbs of cupcake clung to his cheeks, similar to a child eating their food messily. This one, was certainly interesting. 

             "W-Whoa. That was...  _amazing_ ," whispered the man. Shiro smiled, rubbing the back of his neck nonchalantly. 

             "Well, thanks! You are in  _my_  bakery after all. So, how are you feeling now?" Shiro asked. He shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. Shiro slid his hand into his pocket, wrapping his fingers around his phone. He was ready to call 911 at a moment's notice. Who knows if he was dangerous?  

             "I'm—feeling a bit better. Still  _really_  hungry. But, uh, thank you. For the cupcake. I'll be... going then," he said, starting to rise. Shiro immediately went to push him back down. He was certain this guy was still too weak to be walking around. Maybe he could get enough out of him to contact family or something. 

             "Now hang on a moment. You look  _sick_. Do you want me to call for an ambulance or something? Do you have any family to call?" Shiro asked, crossing his arms over his chest. The mention of the ambulance seemed to really upset him. He waved his arms out in front of him, shaking his head. His long, black hair shook around wildly with him. Shiro tried really hard to breathe in and out through his mouth to ignore the awful scent. 

             "N-No! Please don't call an ambulance. I'm  _fine_. Just hungry," he said, his voice a little hoarse. Shiro sighed and rubbed his temple.  

             "Alright, alright. Then, what about family? Wait, what's your name?" 

             "My name's Keith." 

             "Well, hi Keith. You can call me Shiro," he said, extending out his hand for a handshake. Keith looked at him curiously before slowly sliding his hand to meet Shiro's, shaking it gingerly. Shiro pulled his hand away after that, wiping it off on his apron. "So, about your family...?" 

             "I... don't have any family. I have a roommate." 

             "Great! Well, why don't we call your roommate then and get you home?" 

             Keith patted his pockets a few moments before sliding his hand into his pocket. Shiro's whole body tensed up. He was ready to play defense in case he pulled out a knife or something. He cracked his knuckles, eyes never leaving the other.  

             He felt a great sense of relief when he only pulled out a red cellphone. Keith pressed on all the buttons, shaking the phone in his hands and groaning angrily when it didn't turn on.  

             "Great, it's dead!" Keith huffed. 

             "What kind of phone is it? I may have a charger upstairs for you," Shiro asked, holding his hand out for it. Keith slapped his phone down on his hand and Shiro pursed his lips at that, but otherwise let it slide. He examined the phone for a moment, realizing that it was red due to a case. The case had a faded cat sticker on the back of it, was it an orange tabby? It was too old to tell what it was.

             "Oh! An iPhone! I have one too," Shiro started, shifting nervously before continuing, "and so, would you like to come up to my place? We can charge your phone and if my roommate is home, he can cook you some _actual_ food. He's a great cook! And—uh, you can borrow my shower too. Really, that would be fine. My roommate has a similar build to you—so maybe you can borrow some of his clothes? Anything would probably be better than what you're in now, eh?" 

             Shiro gave him another smile before handing back his phone. Keith stared at him, expressionless. His oily hair clung to his face, but it framed it in a rather  _cute_  way. In fact, underneath all the dirt and grime, Shiro was sure he was definitely a  _cute_  guy.  

             "That would be... really nice actually. But I don't wanna, like, intrude. You don't even know me," Keith said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

             "Then fine. You're invited in on one condition... You tell me a little about yourself," Shiro smirked. Keith rolled his eyes and looked away. But Shiro was certain he could see a little smile coming from him. Perfect. 

             "Alright, let me text my co-worker. He'll be back any minute. So I'm gonna temporarily close up shop and then we can go up to my place," Shiro said, walking over to the door and flipping the sign over to closed. He walked back over to Keith, holding out his hand. Keith grumbled under his breath, but took Shiro's hand. His grip was definitely weak and Keith held onto him shakily. Really, he should be seeing a doctor, but mentioning an ambulance really seemed to make him uncomfortable. He assured him he was fine at least, albeit starving.  

             "I'll show you how the shower works and leave you to it," Shiro said, leading Keith outside. He locked the door before they left, then texting Hunk, one of his employees, to watch the shop for a while and that he would be back later. Hopefully. 

* * *

 

             This stare down was getting a lot more intense by the minute. Brown eyes locked with dark gray in an unending battle. Eyes grew narrower and narrower, practically closed at this point. Shiro was losing this battle, unfortunately. As his roommate, a much smaller built man, was able to back him up to the point he was leaning back. Even while he was on tip toes. 

             Matt's arms were crossed over his chest, a fierce expression on his face. He and Shiro had been staring at each other for a majority of the time Keith spent in the shower. Matt wasn't happy that Shiro had brought in a complete stranger into their home. A dirty, possibly _dangerous_ stranger! And then even tried to get Shiro to let him borrow clothes! It was outrageous.  

             "Alright boys, you're both pretty. But knock this off. The tension in the room is making my cereal taste bad," sighed a small voice from below them. Shiro and Matt looked down at the living room sofa, in sync, to see that Matt's younger sister, Pidge, was sitting there. She was watching them, eating a bowl of Fruit Loops, with a sour expression on her face. Shiro and Matt looked at each other before stepping away. 

             "Shiro! You let some gross looking kid into our place and didn't even give me a heads up! What if I was, like,  _naked_  or something," Matt whispered in an angry voice. 

             "You don't walk around naked! And what was I supposed to let him do? Walk around, weak, dirty, and with a dead cellphone?!" Shiro murmured back. 

             " _Yes!_ " 

             "No Matt, I just can't do that. Look, he just needs to charge his phone and borrow our shower. Maybe some food. And then he'll be out of our hair! Just  _relax_. He's perfectly fine. The guy's too weak to hurt a fly right now. I don't think he's really eaten anything in days!" Shiro said, defending him. 

             "Then why don't we drop him off at a hospital or something?" Matt said, throwing his arms into the air. 

             "I was considering it, but I really don't think Keith wants to go there!" 

             "Oh, so the guy's name is Keith? Well, isn't that nice. You're on a first name basis! Jesus Christ, Shiro, I don't care if the guy's name is Larry. He needs to get out of here. What if he tries to attack us? Or Pidge?" Matt said, faking a calm voice at first, but slowly dipping back into his crazed tone. 

             Pidge held up a finger, her spoon clattering against the blow, and said, "Actually, I think I can handle myself, but thanks." 

             "Yeah, exactly. And I can  _definitely_  handle myself. Matt, I don't think we're in danger. Maybe I thought that at first, but this guy doesn't give me any kind of bad vibes. Let me be a good citizen and help this guy get home, okay? Then, I won't bring anymore strangers into this house without alerting you.  _Okay?_ " Shiro sighed. 

             "Fine. I'll cook us a late lunch. Nothing fancy. Only friends and family get fancy," Matt unwillingly agreed, pointing a finger at Shiro. 

             "Aw, but I'm already eating cereal!" Pidge whined. 

             "You'll eat lunch and you'll like it!" Matt said, storming away to the kitchen. Shiro laughed lightly, placing a hand on his forehead, pushing his hair away from his face. Pidge rolled her eyes and slurped up the milk from her bowl. 

             "Shiro, Matt has a point. You can't help out every pretty face you see. You aren't like, a superhero or something. You own a bakery for fuck's sake," Pidge said. 

             " _Language._  Also, I help out more than pretty faces! Just because Keith is objectively attractive doesn't mean anything," Shiro groaned, plopping down next to Pidge. Pidge pat his knee, but shook her head. 

             "So you admit you find the gross boy attractive?"  

             "You called him pretty first." 

             "Touché, Shiro. Touché." 

             The sound of the shower running stopped and Shiro turned his head back to look at the bathroom door. Keith would be out any moment. Maybe now he could get some answers out of him. Shiro turned back to drum his hands on his thighs nervously. Pidge was happily chomping down on her cereal beside him, her head waving side to side. 

             It was a few moments before he emerged from the bathroom door, drying off his hair with a towel. Matt wouldn't lend him any clothing so Shiro had to find some of the smallest pieces of clothing he owned. Those happened to be a Garrison college sweatshirt he got back in high school and a pair of drawstring sweatpants.  Shiro turned around to look at him, placing his arm over the back of the sofa. 

 _Whoa_. This was certainly a sight. The sweatpants were definitely still too big for Keith, but he managed to keep them on. They hung low on his hips, pale skin peeking through the two dark, navy colors. The sleeves of the sweatshirt were just a little too long on Keith, almost going past his fingertips. His wet hair hung straight down, clinging to every part of him it could. Shiro's original hypothesis was correct—under all the dirt Keith was definitely  _cute_. 

             "Ah, I, um, left my clothes on toilet seat. I'll get them before I go. Is my phone almost charge?" Keith said, walking towards Pidge and Shiro. He sat in the large armchair, resting the damp towel on his lap. Shiro reached over Pidge, with complaints of course, and checked his phone. 

             "It's at fifty-three percent. Do you want to call your roommate now or after some food?" Shiro asked, sitting back in his seat properly after Pidge shoved him. 

             "Uh, after food. If that's alright with you," Keith said, scratching at his upper arm anxiously. 

             "Of course! I hope you're feeling better after that shower," Shiro smiled. 

             "Y-Yeah, I am. Thank you so much for all of this, really," Keith thanked. 

             "It was my pleasure. So, uh, Keith. Why don't you tell me what happened anyway?" 

             Silence. Keith wiggled in the seat and Shiro kept his eyes on him. He was determined to find out what left him in such disarray. Pidge ate her cereal, looking between the two like she was watching a movie and eating popcorn. 

             "I don't really know. I just, left my home a few days ago. And things are blurry from them. All I remember is being hungry. Like, really, really hungry. That's it," Keith shrugged. Something about his body language and tone of voice told Shiro that was all he was going to get out of him. With a little sigh, he let his eyes wander away from him. No need to press him further. It's not like they would keep contact after this encounter. 

             "Wow, so did you like, runaway from your family?" Pidge said, mouthful of Fruit Loops. 

             "No. I don't know what happened," Keith sighed, tugging on the ends of his hair. 

             "Well, we aren't gonna press you for more information.  _Right,_  Pidge?" Shiro said, looking right at her. She rolled her eyes at Shiro and drank the milk. 

             "Thanks. Look, I really don't mean to be a bother. I'll be out of your hair as soon as possible," Keith said. Shiro watched his leg jiggling up and down fiercely. Anxious. Well, of course he was anxious. He was surrounded by people he didn't know and had just come from a bad place. 

             "You aren't a bother," Shiro assured. It didn't help Keith though. 

* * *

 

             "Lunch is ready!" Matt called out. Everyone leapt up from their spots in the living room and made a beeline for the kitchen. Keith let the other two go before him. This wasn't his home. He had no place here. 

             Everything was new here. New and definitely weird. Their place was much bigger than his own apartment. Much homelier. And the place reeked of cherry and vanilla. The scent burned in his nose and it caused his stomach to growl louder. That little cupcake helped his one hunger. His normal hunger. 

             But this  _other_  hunger that roared deep inside of him would never be satisfied. He was stuck with this constant dull pain for eternity. No amount of food would cure this pain. But every time he caught a whiff of the vanilla and cherries, he felt worse. His body quivered and it was weak. It needed release. It needed to feed. Keith tried desperately to breathe solely through his mouth and that seemed to help a little.  

             Being in his clothes, however, did not help. These also smelled. It filled his mind, intoxicating him. He was increasingly growing more unsteady, needier. Keith needed to get out of his house and fast. Then never look back. But his basic human need for food said otherwise. Great, eat whatever his roommate made for lunch and leave as quick as possible. He should probably call his own roommate and let him know he wasn't dead at least. 

             Their kitchen was bright, white, and lovely. Light shone brilliantly through two large windows. A small, dark wooden table with four chairs sat off in the corner. Everyone was already taking their places as Keith finally made his way over to them. There was a loud buzzing in his ear. He could see them all talking, but all he could hear was the ringing, the high-pitched  _ringing_.  

             He shouldn't be here. Keith should not be in his house, in his clothing. This stranger that took him in so easily had no idea how dangerous he was. How dangerous this situation was. Keith himself didn't even quite grasp the severity of it all. He froze, just staring at the three of them. The ringing was getting louder, his mind spinning. Shiro, his savior, was looking at him. His lips were moving, but Keith couldn’t hear a thing. The pain rose higher in his stomach. He needed to get out. 

             Keith watched the way Shiro's lips moved, how they wrapped around each syllable. He noticed the sunlight sparkle off his dark colored eyes, as if they were twinkling like stars. Keith looked down at Shiro's large, strong hands. He remembered how Shiro had held him while he was semi-conscious. Those thick arms were wrapped around him, enveloped by the smell of vanilla and cherries. Enveloped entirely by this man.  

             His skin was crawling, hairs on end. His breathing started to escalate once more. The hunger pains were so strong he was concerned his frail body would collapse. Maybe his roommate was right. Maybe it was finally time for him to feed. But it just wasn't  _right_. 

             " _Keith_ ," came a voice through the buzzing. And it all stopped.  

             He could hear properly again and his vision was less skewed. Worried eyes were on him, sending nervous chills down his spine. Keith glanced between the three of them before settling on Shiro. It was his voice that pulled him out of the ringing. His voice brought him back. That thick, velvety voice. 

             "Keith, is everything okay? I thought you were going to faint on me again. I really think we should take you to a doctor...," Shiro said. There was clear concern in his tone. His face definitely showed genuine worry, but Keith shook his head. 

             "I'm fine. I'm just tired and hungry. It's been a rough few days for me. But thank you. Man, these smell great. What are they?" Keith said, pointing at the plate on the center of the table. It was filled with these bagel sandwiches that Keith was a little unsure about. 

             "Pizza bagel sandwiches.  _Handmade_  pizza bagel sandwiches," Matt said, his tone a little harsh, untrusting. Which was fair, Keith was an intruder in their home. So, he was thankful the empty seat was in between Shiro and Pidge. Pidge had been very welcoming so far. She talked at Keith, letting him remain quiet, while they waited for lunch. She was funny and witty and incredibly smart. Keith decided he enjoyed her already. With Matt, he couldn't get a clear read on. Matt certainly distrusted Keith, but that's all he could get out of him. 

             But with Shiro, oh Shiro. Shiro's scent is what brought him to them in the first place. Cherries and vanilla were part of his unique scent. And Keith was unbelievably attracted to it. He craved it. He  _hungered_  for it. It was just a blessing this man was also an angel scent from Heaven. Well, he hoped he wasn't a real angel. 

             That would spell big trouble for Keith. 

             He took his seat, eyes continuously moving. Things were normal for now. He just had to keep breathing through his mouth to be safe. He couldn't trust himself. Especially with Shiro sitting right beside him as well. This was dangerous. 

             "Matt works in my bakery part time. He makes the less sweet things usually. He made these bagels!" Shiro said, pointing at Matt with his bagel sandwich. Keith reached out with a shaky hand and grabbed a pizza bagel. It was still nice and hot and he was eager to taste it. 

             "It's tough having your roommate be your boss, but we make it work. He lets me live here with my sister, so I mean," Matt said with a shrug. Keith looked between Pidge and Matt and was ready to kick himself for not noticing it sooner. They looked like carbon copies of each other. Pidge's hair was fuller and messier and she had softer brown eyes, but even still. They could pass as twins. To be fair, Keith is in an incredibly weak state right now. Weaker than normal. 

             "You say that as if I hate you or something. You guys live here because we're family," Shiro said with an eyeroll. Keith kept watching him as he took small bites from his sandwich. Their interactions were interesting and yet similar to how he was with his roommate. Granted, he and his roommate have...  _special_ circumstances. 

             "Shiro isn't allowed to hate us. Because I said so," Pidge chimed in. 

             "And as we all know, I listen to everything she says," scoffed Shiro. Pidge pointed her sandwich at him with a smile. 

             "Precisely, cupcake man," she grinned. The three of them were laughing together then. The sounds were gentle and calming, like windchimes. His anxiety seemed to calm down. They all posed no threat to him. In fact, this whole environment was the calmest and nicest he's been in in a while. Keith couldn't help but smile as he ate his lunch that Matt had so kindly made for them. 

             "So, Keith! Where are you from? What do you do?" Matt asked, looking at Keith from across the table. Keith gulped down his food, not enjoying the attention suddenly being placed on him. 

             "I'm uh, well—where am I to begin with?" Keith said. He was realizing he was just kind of stumbling around for the last few days. With everything being so blurry, he didn't even pay attention to his surroundings. For all he knew, he was six towns over. 

             "Hell," Matt snickered. That caused a round of eye rolls from everyone.

             "Wait, I know where I am. Shiro, you own Outta This World Cakes. That's where... Lance—oh thank god. I'm only like, ten minutes away from home," Keith sighed happily, leaning back in the chair. 

             "I'm surprised you remembered I said that. You... passed out after I welcomed you to the store," Shiro said, placing a hand on the side of his neck, grinning. 

             "Yeah—really sorry about that. Don't worry about me like, pressing charges or anything stupid. I mean, you did take care of me," Keith said, feeling his cheeks warm up. 

             "You know, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't," Shiro chuckled. God, even his laugh was intoxicating. One could get addicted to this—the smell, the voice, the laugh, his everything. But that was his  _hunger_  talking. He just needed to shut it up and ignore the pain in his gut. 

             The food was wonderful. Matt was even warming up to Keith and shooting him less cold glares. Keith was starting to feel at ease with them. Not like he could let loose completely, but his anxiety was calmer. They were good people and he wished he could keep in contact with them. 

             But he can’t. It's too dangerous. 

             "I think it's about time I call my roommate. I'm sure he's going crazy wondering where I am," Keith said, standing up. 

             "Oh? Leaving already?" Shiro asked. Keith was sure he was imagining it, but he thought he heard a twinge of sadness in his voice.  

             "Yeah, I've overstayed my welcome. And I'm feeling a lot less weak now. I mean, my entire body isn't ready to collapse under the stress. Just really needed food and drink in me. Now, to go home and sleep for a long time," said Keith. 

             "Well, alright. Go ahead and call in the living room. We'll give you the space," Shiro said with a slight purse of his lips. Keith nodded and left the kitchen, not turning back. 

             He grabbed his phone from the side table, unplugging it from the cord and quickly turning it on. Keith tapped his toes on the hardwood floor impatient as it finally came to life. Instantly, his phone began going off. All notifications from his roommate, Lance. There were over one hundred texts and probably about fifty phone calls. Oops. Keith pinched the bridge of his nose as he dialed Lance's number, keeping his phone a few inches from his ear. He was definitely expecting Lance to scold him for disappearing...  _again_. It was only two rings before Lance picked up. 

             "Keith, you son of a  _bitch_  you better tell me where you are right away," Lance shouted on the other line. Keith rolled his eyes and tilted his head a bit from his phone, still able to hear Lance clearly. 

             "Relax, I'm okay. Well, now I am at least. Look, don't yell.  _Lance will you let me get a word out_ ," Keith groaned. Lance was yelling into the phone about how worried he's been and demanding to know where to pick him up. He sounded like a  _wife_. Keith let him ramble a little bit until his shouting got quieter. 

             "Dude, please just tell me where you are. I've been worried sick about you. How are you okay? When you were left—god you were a wreck when you left," Lance said, his tone much softer and sadder now. 

             "I got rescued, no big deal. You know Outta This World Cakes? Yeah, currently in the owner's apartment," Keith said, pacing around the living room as he talked. 

             "Wait, isn't that the bakery I visit to get cupcakes and flirt with the big cute guy with pretty eyes?" Lance asked. 

             "Yes, that one. I'm pretty sure the one you're talking about is the one that saved me? Like, literally saved me. I... may have collapsed on his shop floor. Whoops," Keith said. 

             " _Keith_ _Kogane_ _I will be there in ten minutes flat."_  

             "Lance, I'm  _fine_. Just needed actual food in me. I mean, I'm still hungry, but you know me." 

             "You can't have the pretty one. I have dibs on him. Find your first feed elsewhere." 

             Keith turned back to look at Shiro. He was the only one he could see in the kitchen from this angle. Sunlight from the large kitchen windows illuminated his face. His chiseled features were accentuated in this lighting. Keith heard his deep laughter lightly, probably from something Matt said, watching his whole body shake with it. He was definitely an attractive man. But Lance called dibs. And it's not like Keith was going to break his twenty-two years streak of not feeding. 

             "Ugh fine. I want to get out of here soon anyway. It  _reeks_  of him. Like, everywhere. I can't even catch his roommates' scents. It's super fucking weird. Definitely making things uncomfortable for me. My body feels like it's on fire," Keith whispered into the phone, covering his mouth as he spoke. He prayed no one could hear him say that.  

             "I'll be there soon. And Keith?" 

             "Yeah?" 

             "Be careful in there." 

 _Click._  

             Be careful. Keith knew exactly what he meant by that. He was at his weakest point. Keith should have never have pushed himself so hard because now this other half of him was dying to come out. Dying to consume the source of the delicious cherry and vanilla sent that was driving his body crazy. It was hard sitting in that kitchen and trying not to rip all of his clothes off. 

             Literally. 

             "Keith?" There it was again. That velvety smooth voice to burst through his thoughts.  

             He whipped around to see Shiro standing in the doorway. His bottom lip was just dropped in the slightest and thick, dark eyebrows furrowed together in concern. Shiro ran a hand through the dark tufts of hair on top of his head. Keith gulped as he watched his movements, electricity shooting through his body. He took in a deep breath through his mouth, trying to avoid breathing in anything. 

             "Everything okay in here? Is your roommate coming for you?" he asked, walking closer to Keith. Keith took a couple steps back as Shiro came forward. No. He wasn't allowed to come any closer.  

             "Y-Yeah. He's gonna be here in like, ten. Shiro, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me," Keith said, rubbing the back of his neck and trying not to look at Shiro. 

             "Well, I'm glad I could help. You seem to be doing a lot better, which is good," Shiro smiled. God, his smile was blinding. Keith gulped, taking another precautious step backwards. Shiro's advancement towards him seemed to stop after that. He held a hand out towards Keith, but ultimately lowered it. 

             "Just needed some good food and water and a shower apparently. I probably stank really bad." 

             "Eh, I've smelled worse. Like, when Matt farts. Atomic bomb of farts. Nasty stuff." 

             Keith smiled at that. He appreciated how lighthearted about this all Shiro was being. After all, he was just a stranger to him. A stranger currently in his home, his clothes and just ate his food. Shiro was an incredibly kind man. It was a shame Keith was going to have to cut ties after this. 

             "Also, uh, thanks for not calling the police or anything. Personal stuff." 

             "Right, no, I get that entirely. Thanks for not being totally insane and thanks for not attacking me. Usually a plus." 

             Shiro gave Keith a small shrug, but a large, warm smile. Keith's heart fluttered in his chest and he licked his lips. The searing pain in his stomach was back, stronger than before. He felt hot, very hot.  _Too_  hot. This was becoming an increasingly dangerous situation. Keith bit down on his bottom lip, but feeling a  _sharp_  pain.  

             "Ouch!" Keith said, touching a finger to his bottom lip. As he pulled back, he saw blood on his finger and by the looks of it, quite a lot of it. 

             "Jesus, Keith are you okay?"  Shiro asked, moving closer to him again. Keith covered his mouth and held out a hand to stop him. 

             "I'll be okay. Chapped lips. Dry weather. Normal stuff. Uh, just gonna run to the bathroom," Keith said, rushing right to the bathroom and slamming the door behind him. His eyes were wide and his breathing grew raggedy. He stood in front of the bathroom mirror, lifting his top lip up to get a better look. 

             "Son of a  _bitch_ ," Keith mumbled with his lip still pulled up. It was exactly what he was fearing.  _Fangs_. Razor sharp and ready to bite. It was only the first set so he still had time. How much time he had left exactly? He wasn't sure. Keith poked at one of his fangs, frowning in the process. He leaned in to get a closer look at his face. His usual dark blue-grey eyes were forming a dim yellow rim around the iris. Maybe not as much time as he had thought.  

 _This is bad. This is_ very _bad. If I don't get out of here soon... who knows what might happen,_  Keith thought as he splashed some water over his bleeding lip. He was already starting to change. Being around Shiro so much was definitely not helping. Where in the hell was Lance? 

 _Beep! Beep!_  

             "Hey Keith? I think your roommate is here!" Shiro said from the other side of the door. Keith was blotting at his lip with some toilet paper, the bleeding pretty much done at this point. He flushed away the bloodied pieces of toilet paper and splashed some cold water on his face. He needed a cold shower to feel even better, but at least his face wasn't on fire. Keith took a few deep breaths before coming out of the bathroom. 

             "Here, I'll walk you out. Explain things to your roommate," said Shiro. 

             "Okay, yeah. Sounds great. 'Bye Matt! 'Bye Pidge! Thanks for your, uh, help!" Keith called out as Shiro led him to the front door. He had to turn his head to make sure Shiro didn't see his new addition to his mouth. The two of them shouted back goodbyes from the kitchen as they left and ran down the stairs. 

             Lance was leaning against his dark grey car with the engine running as the two of them made their way outside. His head snapped over to them, but his nose wrinkled in disgust as they got closer. Keith gave him a look that just read  _behave_  and Lance rolled his eyes. 

             "Keith, you gave me a god damn heart attack. Where have you been? Do you know how many times I have been calling you? As your best friend and roommate, I was deeply concerned for you!" Lance scolded, holding a finger up at Keith with a stern look on his face. Keith rolled his eyes and pushed Lance's finger away. 

             "Lance, this is Shiro. Shiro, this is my loser roommate Lance. This is the guy that took me in and, uh, helped me out. Doing a hell of a lot better now. But I think it's time we left.  _Right_ , Lance?" Keith said, rushing out his words. He was desperate to get out of there. Things were better outside with the other smells of the city surrounding them. Keith leaned in close to Lance, eyes nice and wide so he got a good look. Lance narrowed his eyes at Keith, but ended up noticing exactly what Keith was trying to show him. 

             "Right! Yes, you need to get home as soon as possible! Thanks Shiro for helping out my buddy here. Hope to see you around! 'Kay, thanks bye!" Lance said, grabbing Keith and nearly ripping open the passenger door. 

             "Wait! Keith! Can I, uh, get your number first?" Shiro asked, a hand extending out towards them. Lance and Keith froze in their places. They glanced between each other and then back at Shiro a few times, shock on both of their faces. 

             "Me?" 

             " _Him?_ " 

             "Uh, yeah. I'm gonna want my sweats back eventually," Shiro grinned. Keith felt his cheeks flare up, remembering he was still in Shiro's clothes. 

             "Oh! Uh, yeah. Let me give you my phone," he said, fumbling around to get his phone from the pocket of the sweatpants. With a shaky hand, he unlocked it and handed it to Shiro. Shiro quickly typed his number in and handed it back to Keith. 

             "Hey, text me how you're feeling later on too. Or just... you know. Text me whenever. I'm free. Totally free," Shiro said. With that, he gave the boys a little wave and entered through the bakery. Keith sighed and slid inside the passenger seat. Lance ran over to the other side and slammed the door after himself. 

             "I'm pretty sure he was flirting with you," Lance smirked. Keith was groaning and running his hands down his face in anguish. Everything was hurting. Every part of him was on fire. He just wanted to go home, throw away Shiro's clothes and literally never think about him again. 

             "No, he definitely wasn't. He's just a really nice guy," Keith huffed. He pulled down the visor mirror to get a good look at himself. The yellow around his eyes was definitely brighter, but his second set of fangs hadn't descended. Which was a good sign. Any longer standing with Shiro, starving as he was and he would have fully changed that's for sure. 

             "Yeah, a really  _hot_  nice guy. He's prime meat. Should be your first feed if you ask me. The setting was perfect too," Lance said, drumming on the steering wheel as he drove away from the bakery. 

             "If you found him so hot why did you make that face when we came out?" 

             "Because his scent was so overpowering. Like, grossly overpowering." 

             "So he's not the guy you had dibs on?" 

             "God, no. But if you don't dibs him I will. So are you going to text him?" 

             "No, Lance. I don't trust myself around him." 

             "You know, if you had sex with a mortal. Any mortal! You wouldn't be feeling this way. Take me for example, I have sex often. I'm a super powerful mother fucker. I take care of business. I don't need this damn car when I have the speed of like, The Flash. But  _no_. We have to keep up our human appearances! Damn hunters," Lance complained. 

             "Only half of me is... a demon. The other half is still human and I refuse to give in to that other half," Keith said. There was obvious discomfort as he said the word  _demon_. Keith shifted awkwardly in his seat, currently hating every part of himself, human and demon alike. 

             "Yeah? I'm only half too, you know. Or do you keep forgetting that?" 

             "Well, you certainly aren't  _angelic_  in any sense!" 

             "You don't have to be fully human, Keith. You're almost a quarter of a century years old. No wonder you're so fucking weak. I had my first feed when I was like, seventeen. And I was pretty weak about that point anyway! Dude, what if you shifted while you were still with Shiro? I'm surprised you managed to last this long anyway. God, imagine explaining that to him. Suddenly you're in some sort of badass demon form, looking sexy as hell. He'd have no choice but to take you right away!" Lance said, dramatically placing the back of his hand on his forehead. Keith had to roll his eyes at him. 

             "I don't even know what my demon form even looks like. All I know for certain is that I have two sets of fangs. And I'm pretty sure my eyes will go yellow like yours," Keith said, checking himself out in the mirror again. The yellow was receding, thankfully, but his fangs were still down. Keith groaned, slamming the visor back up and throwing his head back on the headrest. 

             "Look, all I'm saying is your first time should be with a good person. Mine wasn't and I'm like, ninety percent sure that's why I was super sick after it. She was a  _heavy_  drinker and smoker. Not at all in good health. And Shiro looks like a strong... beautiful.... _healthy_ man," Lance sighed happily. Keith noticed the corners of his mouth twitching up and he had a dreamy look on his face. 

             " _Dibs_ ," Keith said in a monotonous tone. Lance  _immediately_  snapped out of it. 

             "What?! But you won't ever sleep with him so how is that even fair?" 

             "Sorry Lance. You put the dibs rule in place anyway. Deal with the consequences." 

             "So now you  _have_  to text him. Flirt with him a little. And feed so you don't wither away and die on me. Who is gonna pay your half of the rent?"  

             "Lance, I don't pay for rent. _You_ don't pay for rent. You sleep with the landlord and like, brainwash him or some shit. Which is probably a thousand kinds of illegal both human wise and angel wise." 

             "Considering I'm zero part human and the angels don't want me I couldn't care less about legalities. Besides, we have a place to live. I only feed from him once a month so not too much of his lifeforce is drained. May have shortened his life span by a couple of years, but it's for  _us,_ Keith. For us," Lance explained, pulling up to their apartment complex. Lance was a speed demon, no pun intended. 

             "You present human. You follow human laws, Lance. I feel like I should get a job and save up money in case you screw this up," Keith said with an eyeroll. 

             "Really? No faith in me? Harsh, man." 

             "That's reality. No one has faith in anyone anymore." 

             "I have faith in you that you'll text the hot baker with the stinky scent." 

             "You can't get mad at me for calling dibs when you keep calling him stinky. Besides, I happen to think he smells really good." 

             "Well, it does, but it's too much for me. Like, you're wearing his clothes and I can barely smell your human scent. Then again, you're still pretty weak human-wise as well. Your scent isn't that strong. Hence why I haven't been able to find you, asshole. Will you tell me what happened?" Lance said, parking the car and unbuckling himself. 

             "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll tell you eventually. I just really need a cold shower." 

             "Me too. Wanna shower together?" 

             "Not happening." 

             "You're literally, zero fun, Kogane. _Zero_." 

             Keith got out of the car, running his tongue over his top row of teeth and feeling his fangs slowly going back into his mouth. He let out a little sigh of relief. Finally, he was free from Shiro. Well, mostly. Keith ducked his nose below the collar of the sweatshirt and took a little sniff. Cherries and vanilla. Just enough to set him on fire again. Why this sweet scent had him so vexed he would never know. 

             Lance was talking at Keith again, Keith only catching parts of what he was saying. His mind was a million miles away, thinking of other things. Things like big, strong hands pushing his knees up to his chest. Things like, sweaty hot bodies melded together in a burning passion. Things that were going to drive Keith wild for a while. 

             He absentmindedly grabbed his cellphone from his pants as he and Lance started for the stairs up to their place. Keith scrolled through Lance's unread texts. All of varying lengths and emotions. There were lots with colorful words for Keith about not answering his phone. It felt really good to have someone care about him like this. Even if it was just Lance. 

             Keith wasn't sure what compelled him to hit  _New Message_  and he wasn't sure what overpowered him to look for Shiro's name in his contact list. In fact, he didn't even realize it was happening until after he had sent it. 

 

**TXT**

**KEITH:** Hey shiro its keith I just got home so im gonna rest up thanks for everything again. 

 **SHIRO:** good to hear you made it home safe. Feel free to visit the bakery anytime. Just promise you wont faint on me again. 

 **KEITH:** No promises lol 

 

 _Whoops_. 

**Author's Note:**

> so this is chapter one of my fic so far!!! next chapter is gonna be spicy just you wait lmao  
> so ages and jobs for this fic just so people understand a little easier
> 
> Keith is 22 & currently unemployed  
> Shiro is 28 & owns a bakery (god i wish that were me)  
> Matt is 26 & works at Shiro's bakery (also has a side job youll find out about later)  
> Pidge is 20 & goes to school part time.  
> Lance is 21 & currently unemployed
> 
> And that's all we met so far!!! 
> 
> Side note: Shiro currently has the look he did before he went on the kerberos mission. No scar, black hair. Has both of his arms.
> 
> Feel free to catch me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/idolboi)  
> Talk to me about sheith and season 4 thank you!!!


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